Athlete Activism

Athletes have a long history of bringing about social change by helping to raise awareness and foster dialogues around issues of inequality and injustice in and out of sport. In recent months, our national attention has turned toward athletes engaged in a movement that puts a spotlight on racial injustice in the U.S. Although social justice activism by athletes is not a new phenomenon, athletes’ recent peaceful protests, public statements and collective action have sparked national discourse and debate over the appropriateness of athletes using sport as a vehicle for social change.

Div. 47 (Society for Sport, Exercise & Performance Psychology) supports athletes, coaches and other prominent stakeholders in sport who choose to use their platform and visibility to advocate for positive changes in our world.

To assist psychologists and the public on how to best support athlete activists, Div. 47 has developed several resources:

Training Webinar

“Sport Psychology 4.0: How to Help Athletes Navigate the World of Social Justice Advocacy and Activism,” features Diane L. Gill, PhD; Stephany Coakley, PhD; and Leeja Carter, PhD. The webinar is free and accessible to all online.

SportPsych Works

A recent publication of SportPsych Works dedicated to athlete activism. APA members are invited to use SportPsych Works fact sheets as educational resources for use with students, community groups and clients.

Reflections on Diversity and Inclusion

Div. 47 recognizes that we come from and support individuals from many varying backgrounds. We invite reflections on diversity within our profession, especially as it relates to our work with sport and performance.

Athlete activism can be isolating and contain great risks, but also creates opportunities for meaningful social change to occur. We hope you will find these resources to be of great benefit.